Street lighting refurb...

[RobertM]

Just had a letter though the door stating that the street lighting in my immediate vacinity is being 'upgraded'.  Apparently the concrete posts weaken over time and they want to replace them with metal posts for safety reasons.  The alarming thing is that the new lighting will have a 'warm white colour' which I've taking to mean a continuous spectrum.  I'm taking this up with the council naturally, but does anyone have any experience of these new style lights ?  I believe they are based on the Philips Cosmopolis 60w lamp and can be fitted with 'cutoff' shrouds to reduce light spill.  My take is that there will be much more reflected light from the street (being illuminated by a more powerful bulb) causing increased light pollution, they are much less efficient and the lamps have to be disposed of carefully as they contain toxic metals.  Environmentaly friendly - non !

Bromley councils take is that they are just following government guidelines.

Any reassurance would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks for reading my ramble..
Robert

[Rick]

The Campaign for Dark Skies might be worth consulting. See http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/ for starters.

[Mike]

You have the right under the new legislation to ask for them to provide a cut off if the light spills onto your property.

[Rocket Pooch]

Mac I suggets you read the rules on the light pollution, you probably will not be able to do anythign about it if the lights are within the exclusion lists, but you might be able to get them on environmental grounds.

Basically use up their time, they get the hint eventually.

[RobertM]

Thanks for the advice, I've joined the BAA CfDS Yahoo group so maybe I'll get some information there.

It could be that it'll be a positive step as it may make the skies darker overhead but it's bad enough at the moment so I certainly don't want it to get any worse.

[RobertM]

Quick update...

Looks like this may actually turn out better for me.  They are replacing the streetlights in the road outside with these new lamps but they are designed to try to prevent LP (still not 100% convinced).  The good thing is that not only are they keeping the original LP Sodium lamps in the side street but have undertaken to assess and either fit cutoff shrouds or replace them with better fittings - I nearly fell off my chair when he said that !

Time will tell as to whether the council will actually do anything but at least now they know I can waste a lot of their time if they don't !